Food and diet

The British Diet

Is there such a thing as “The British Diet”? What do people eat in the UK?

A typical British breakfast is not a “full English breakfast” with bacon, eggs and sausages, but more likely to be toast or cereals.

British lunches are light – Brits have lunch as early as 12 o’clock. A typical lunch is beans on toast or a jacket potato. Kids have fish fingers, chips and beans.

The main meal for most British people is around 6 o’clock. A typical dinner is shepherd’s pie or Lancashire Hot Pot. On Sundays the main meal is lunch, and traditionally “Sunday Roast” which consists of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables.

These are all “typical” British dishes, but Brits are fond of food from all around the world: Chinese noodles, Italian pizzas and Spanish tortillas. The classic British take-away food, fish & chips is just as likely to be a Turkish kebab. Sunday roast can easily be replaced by Spaghetti Bolognaise.

In the election campaign of 2001, a well-known politician talking about Britain as a multi-cultural society, said that the national British dish was now Chicken Tikka Masala – an Indian dish. Few people would disagree with him.

Exercise 1. Read the text and circle the correct words.

1 A typical English breakfast is / isn’t a full English breakfast.

2 British people have a small / big lunch.

3 Children sometimes have fish / cereals for lunch.

4 British people eat their main meal at 12’oclock / 6 o’clock.

5 A “Sunday roast” includes fish / meat.

6 British people eat food from all around the country / world.

The Mediterranean Diet

On November the 19^th 2010, UNESCO declared that The Mediterranean Diet was given a place on the World Heritage List. It is now a protected cultural entity like the Great Pyramids or the Ahambra.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is the knowledge, practices and traditions of harvesting, fishing, conservation, processing, preparation and, particularly, consumption of food in some areas of the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, Greece and Morocco). The diet itself consists mainly of olive oil, cereals, fresh or dried fruit and vegetables, a moderate amount of fish, dairy and meat products, herbs and spices, and a moderate consumption of wine.

However, the Mediterranean diet (from the Greek diaita, or way of life) is about more than just food. Communal meals are very important in the Mediterranean and this encourages social interaction and festive events. Songs, maxims, tales and legends are all part of the tradition of the Mediterranean diet.

Perhaps the most important aspect is the respect for biodiversity, the conservation and development of traditional activities and crafts linked to fishing and farming in the Mediterranean.

Women play a big part in the transmission of expertise, as well as knowledge of rituals, traditional gestures and celebrations, and the safeguarding of techniques.

Exercise. Find words or expressions in the text that mean the same as these:

a The information, understanding and skills that you gain through education or experience.

b The act of using energy, food or materials; the amount used.

c That is neither very good, large, hot, etc. nor very bad, small, cold, etc.

d Communication with somebody, especially while you work, play or spend time with them.

e The act or process of passing something from one person, place or thing to another.

Key:

Exercise 1
1. isn't 2. small 3. fish 4. 6 o'clock 5. meat 6. world

Exercise 2
a. knowledge b. consumption c. moderate d. interaction e. transmission